Improvement in boring wells



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. FOSTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO GEORGE O. EVANS AND W. S. HASSALL, OF

SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BORING WELLS.`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 46,968, dated March 21,1865.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. FOSTER, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Boring ArtesianWells 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of certain improvements, fully describedhereinafter,in the wellboring machine for which Letters Patent weregranted to Belles and Knight, May l, 1849, my improvements being suchthat the drilling-rod is turned partly round at intervals without beingmanipulated by the attendants.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecitication, Figure l is a front elevation of my improved well-boringapparatus; Fig. 2, a vertical section on the line .1 2, Fig. l; Fig. 3,a

sectional plan on the line 3 4, Fig. l, and Fig. 4 a detached sectionalview drawn to an enlarged scale.

A is the base of the machine, to which are secured two uprights,B and B,connected together at the top by a cross-piece, C. On each side of theuprights is a plate, D, the ends of which are secured to blocks E, thewhole forming a cross-head, to which a reciprocating vertical motion isimparted in a manner similar to that shown in the apparatus patented byBelles and Knight May I, 1849.

Between the platesD is secured a block, E', in which is a circularopening, x, and at the top of the block is a plate, F, in the center ofwhich, round the opening w, is an annular projection, which fits into acircular opening in the center of a plate, G, the latter resting on theplate F.

On the under side of the plate G are a number of teeth, e, which projectinto an opening in the plate F and gear into a worm, t', on a shaft, H,the latter turning in lugs projecting from the side of the plate D, andhaving on its outer end a pinion, I, gearing into a rack, m, in a recessin the upright B. Extending from one upright to the other on each sideof the same is aplate, L,for a purpose described hereinafter.

Through the opening x passes a rod, I, to which the boring-tool isattached, and on the plate G, at each side of the said rod, are twolugs, c c, between which is hung a dog, J, the inner end of each dogbeing adapted to the rod I, against which it bears.

W hen the cross-head is raised, arotary motion in the direction of thearrow, Figs. 1 and 4, will be imparted to the shaft H, and its worm andthe plate G will thus be moved a part of a revolution in the directionof the arrow 2, Fig. 3. As the crosshead descends the motion of theshaft H will be reversed and the plate Gbebrought toitsrstposition. Asthe cross-head begins to rise the rod I will be grasped by the dogs Jand carried upward until the outer end of the dogs strike the plate L,when the rod will be released, as in the apparatus patented by Bollesand Knight, before alluded to. .When the crosshead falls, the rod I,being free from the control of the dogs, it cannot be turned back by thebackward movement of the plate G.

It will thus be seen that an intermittent rotary as well as verticalmovement is imparted to the rod I, so that on releasing the same theedge of the cutter will strike the .rock on a line at an angle to thatstruck at the previous blow, the necessity of constantly employing anattendant to impart the rotary motion to the rod being thus obviated.

When the well has to be bored through extremely hard rock, the rack mmaybe so adjusted as to be thrown out of gear with the wheel h, in orderthat the cutter may strike two or more blows at the same point.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Themovable plate G, in combination with the dogs .I J, or theirequivalents, when combined and oper-ating substantially as described,for the purpose specified.

2. The' shaft H, with its Worm t and pinion h and stationary rack m, incombination with the plate G, the whole being arranged` and operatingsubstantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name to this specification in thepresencev of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES E. FOSTER.

Witnesses J orIN WHITE, GHARLEs HoWsoN.

